Bull and Warwick University enter big data partnership

Bull Information Systems has signed a partnership with the University of Warwick in efforts to secure business in the big data market.

Under the terms of the deal, Bull’s business team and data scientists from the university’s strategic business research unit will combine their expertise and computing resources to help UK businesses understand and realise the commercial benefits of big data.

Stephen Jarvis, professor of Computer Science at the University of Warwick, told CBR the university’s decision to choose Bull was because of its base in Europe.

"European partnerships are being nurtured by all leading UK universities and, through partnerships such as these, we are able to compete for European funding for research and development," he said.

"Bull is committed to open standards and ‘open ICT solutions’ which allows users, including ourselves, to gain real insight and expertise in developing data analytics infrastructures as well as developing skills in using that infrastructure. This is in contrast to closed proprietary solutions that we see from some other vendors."

When asked about the value of the partnership, a spokesperson told CBR that there is currently no deal value as it’s a vehicle for securing new business.

The partnership builds on Bull’s ongoing relationship with the university.

"Bull has delivered lectures to our undergraduate students, arranged for postgraduate students to visit its R&D facilities in France, supported research staff through access to cutting-edge technology platforms and co-sponsored PhD students," said Jarvis.

Andrew Carr, CEO Bull UK and Ireland, said: "By taking this challenge beyond the mainstream business environment and engaging the best brains possible on the subject, we can help organisations start to realise big data implementations by injecting a new dynamism into high performance project development that will enable them to be the first to market with their initiatives."